Research will be aimed at further clarifying the mechanisms of metabolic acidosis initiated by methanol poisoning in the monkey. The relationship between the level of formic acid and anion gap is currently under investigation and in the coming year will be studied to a greater degree. The rate of methanol conversion to formaldehyde must be evaluated as well as the rate of conversion of formaldehyde to formic acid. The accumulation of formic acid in the blood results from the rapid formation of this acid and work will be performed in order to reveal the metabolic pathway involved in the metabolism of this acid. Inhibitors of alcohol dehydrogenase and catalase will be studied alone or in combination in order to re-evaluate the importance of these pathways for the metabolism of methanol. Recent work suggests that this re-evaluation is necessary in order to have a complete picture of the metabolism of methanol in the monkey. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Makar, A. P. and T. R. Tephly. Methanol poisoning in the folate-deficient rat. Nature 261: 715-716, 1976. Martin-Amat, G., K. McMartin, A. Makar, T. R. Tephly, G. Baumbach, M. M. Hayreh, and S.S. Hayreh. Ocular toxicity of methanol. Fed. Proc. 35: 534, 1976 (abstract).